Multi-fiber catheter probe arrangement for tissue analysis or treatment

Abstract

A catheter tip apparatus is arranged in a catheter for the delivery and collection of an energy signal to permit analysis and/or treatment of body tissue by the energy signal. The apparatus comprises an elongated housing having a plurality of annularly disposed elongated grooves arranged thereon; and a flexible energy-bearing fiber arranged in each of the elongated grooves. Each of the fibers have a proximal end in communication with an energy delivery source or a signal analysis center. Each of the fibers also have a distalmost end in communication with a reflector for analysis and treatment of body tissue in which the catheter is disposed.

1. A catheter tip apparatus arranged in a catheter for the delivery and collection of an energy signal to permit energy signal analysis and/or energy signal treatment of body tissue by said energy signal, said apparatus comprising:
 an elongated housing having a plurality of annularly disposed elongated open grooves arranged thereon; and  
 a flexible energy-bearing member arranged in each of said elongated open grooves, each of said energy-bearing members having a proximal end in communication with an energy delivery source or a signal analysis center, each of said energy-bearing members having a distalmost end in communication with a beam redirector member for directing energy between said energy-bearing members and body tissue in which said catheter is disposed.  
 
     
     
       2. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said grooves are disposed on an external surface of said housing. 
     
     
       3. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said grooves are disposed on an internal surface of said housing. 
     
     
       4. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said distalmost ends of said energy-being members comprise an optical fiber with a beam redirecting arrangement thereat. 
     
     
       5. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said beam-redirecting member comprises an annular reflective surface. 
     
     
       6. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said annular reflective surface is longitudinally displaceable with respect to a distal end of said grooves. 
     
     
       7. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of said reflective surfaces are of equal arcuate width with respect to a width of each of said grooves. 
     
     
       8. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of said reflective surfaces is of larger arcuate dimension than the arcuate dimension of each of said grooves. 
     
     
       9. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said beam redirecting member on at least one of said fibers comprises a ball. 
     
     
       10. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said reflective surface is arranged at an angle of about 45 degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of said fiber. 
     
     
       11. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said reflective surface comprises an annular array of lensed prisms. 
     
     
       12. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said annular array of prisms is in communication with at least two of said fibers. 
     
     
       13. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said reflective surface comprises a conical reflector disposed circumferentially adjacent to said grooves. 
     
     
       14. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein circumferentially adjacent reflective surfaces are dissimilar to one another. 
     
     
       15. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said reflective surface is of arcuate configuration in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       16. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said distalmost ends of said energy bearing members are directed toward an angled reflective surface. 
     
     
       17. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said housing has a longitudinally directed bore arranged centrally therethrough. 
     
     
       18. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , including an energy-bearing member arranged within said bore of said housing. 
     
     
       19. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 17 , including an elongated guidewire arranged through said bore to permit said catheter tip apparatus to be directed within a body lumen. 
     
     
       20. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said energy bearing member comprises a fiber disposed within said bore, said fiber being longitudinally displaceable within said bore. 
     
     
       21. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said energy bearing members comprises optical fibers, said fibers being longitudinally displaceable within said grooves in said housing. 
     
     
       22. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said grooves has ledge at a distal end thereof to provide an abutment to an energy-bearing member disposed within said grooves. 
     
     
       23. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said grooves in said housing are dissimilar in axial length. 
     
     
       24. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a proximal portion of reduced diameter with respect to a portion of said housing containing said grooves. 
     
     
       25. A catheter tip apparatus arranged in a catheter for the delivery and collection of a light energy signal to permit analysis and/or treatment of body tissue adjacent to said catheter tip apparatus by said energy signal, said apparatus comprising:
 an elongated housing having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of annularly disposed elongated open grooves arranged thereon; and  
 a flexible light energy-bearing fiber arranged in each of said elongated open grooves, each of said fibers having a proximal end in communication with a light-energy delivery source or a light-signal analysis center, each of said fibers having a distal face in spaced-apart light transmissive communication with a reflector arrangement for directing energy between said fibers and body tissue in which said catheter is disposed, said fibers in each of said grooves being arranged as an annular array of axially disposed fibers.  
 
     
     
       26. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said reflector comprises a single annular surface arranged distally adjacent to a face end of each of said fibers. 
     
     
       27. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said reflector comprises a discrete independent reflective surface arranged distally adjacent to face ends of each of said fibers, said reflective surfaces being arranged as an annular array of adjacent reflectors. 
     
     
       28. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 27 , wherein adjacent reflectors in said annular array have different surface characteristics. 
     
     
       29. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 27 , wherein adjacent reflectors in said annular array are disposed at different angles with respect to said longitudinal axis of said housing. 
     
     
       30. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 27 , wherein said independent reflective surfaces are disposed at differing longitudinal locations with respect to said elongated housing. 
     
     
       31. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said reflector arrangement comprises a lensed prism. 
     
     
       32. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said reflector arrangement comprises an annular lensed prism arranged distally adjacent to said end face of each of said fibers. 
     
     
       33. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein adjacent fibers in said annular array of fibers carry different light signals from one another. 
     
     
       34. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said housing has walls forming a central lumen extending therethrough, and an elongated light-signal fiber passes through the central lumen. 
     
     
       35. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 34 , wherein said elongated light-signal fiber is longitudinally displaceable with respect to a probe of said elongated housing. 
     
     
       36. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein at least one fiber from said annular array of fibers has a ball tip thereon for dispersed light transmission. 
     
     
       37. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein said reflector arrangement is longitudinally displaceable with respect to face ends of said light energy-bearing fibers. 
     
     
       38. A catheter tip apparatus arranged in a catheter for the delivery and collection of a light energy signal to permit analysis and/or treatment of body tissue adjacent to said catheter tip apparatus by said energy signal, said apparatus comprising:
 an elongated housing having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of annularly disposed elongated open grooves arranged thereon; and  
 a flexible light energy-bearing fiber arranged in each of said elongated open grooves, each of said fibers having a proximal end in communication with a light energy-delivery source or a light-signal analysis center, each of said fibers having a distal face in spaced-apart light transmissive communication with said body tissue, said fiber in each of said grooves being arranged as an annular array of axially disposed fibers.  
 
     
     
       39. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said fibers have distal ends that are longitudinally spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
       40. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 38 , wherein each of said fibers are arranged to deliver and to collect light energy with respect to said tissue being analyzed. 
     
     
       41. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 38 , wherein each of said fibers has a light re-directing member in its light path. 
     
     
       42. The catheter tip apparatus as recited in  claim 38 , wherein said fibers collect a light energy beam that is wider than a light energy beam delivered to said body tissue. 
     
     
       43. The catheter tip arrangement as recited in  claim 41 , wherein said light redirecting member has a configuration selected from the group consisting of convex, concave, aspherical, planar, and parabolic.